High-scale training of Iran's air forces will start on July 31st and will last until August 7th, RIA Novosti reports, citing Iranian information agency Fars and the deputy commander of the Iranian air forces for operative affairs, General Mohammad Alavi.
The training is called ‘Fedainy neba’. Iran will use the bases of Mekhrabad, Tebriz, Khamadan, Dizful, Bushehr, Bandar-Abbas, Shiraz and Isfahan.
The general said that the training will involve over 40 types of aircraft, including F-4, F-5 and F-7 fighters and Su-24 bombers, drones and air tankers and will use modern arms.
The general said that the main aim is practicing tactical manoeuvres using modern weaponry and improving the level of tactical efficiency.
The military training will be held as the new sanctions against Iran are being implemented. On Monday the foreign ministers of 27 countries of the EU met in Brussels and approved the additional sanctions against Iran, most of them coming into force on July 27th. The sanctions include freezing investments in the oil and gas sectors of the country and banning exchanges of oil technology and equipment and providing services. A proposal was also made to ban exporting products to Iran that can be used for military purposes.
The military training may be a demonstration of Iranian force if the pressure from western countries, mainly the USA, continues. The US sanctions mainly concern the oil and gas sector of Iran, as well as Iranian companies suspected by the US authorities of helping in the development of missile programs.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on June 9th, introducing new sanctions against Tehran. It is the fourth resolution to be approved, due to Tehran's refusal to comply with international demands and clarify a set of questions on Iran's nuclear program, including the military aspect of it.
